


Eggnog & Fruitcake

by theRougeChevalier



Series: 25 days of Christmas [5]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Christmas Caroling, Christmas Party, Drunk Merlin, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 17:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5465417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theRougeChevalier/pseuds/theRougeChevalier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The 5 installment of my 25 days of Christmas short writing challenge. </p>
<p>5. Eggnog & Fruitcake </p>
<p>Merlin is going to do whatever it takes to get Arthur into the Christmas spirit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eggnog & Fruitcake

Eggnog/Fruitcake  
Arthur’s favorite holiday was Christmas, anyone could see it. Arthur was normally more arrogant and cynical, at least to those who didn’t know him well that’s how he seemed, but during the holiday season Arthur became a completely different person. He was exuberant and joyful. He could be found happily hanging Christmas lights on the front of the townhouse he shared with his husband Merlin, or out together to see all the wonders of London at Christmas time; he would join in with carolers and cajole Merlin to take a picture with the street corner santas before putting a tenner in the bucket. He was Christmas spirit personified. If anyone ever asked him what he liked best about the holidays he would just laugh and answer, “Are you kidding? I’m the biggest fan eggnog and fruitcake ever had.” Which would always cause Merlin to flush with embarrassment for some reason.   
The truth is Arthur had not always enjoyed Christmas, but that had all changed 6 years ago…..

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Merlin and Arthur were the same year at Camelot University, they had started together and from the first day they met as freshmen they had been like oil and water. Arthur was arrogant and a bully and Merlin was a free spirit with enough cheek and sarcasm to set Arthur off without even trying, which made for a rather intense rivalry. That first year was spent pulling pranks on one another and doing whatever they could to insult and belittle each other in public, however along the way at what point no one is quite sure when, their hatred for one another turned into an unlikely friendship. They still teased each other relentlessly, but their rivalry was of a more friendly nature now. They shared the same group of friends and after another year passed the duo became legendary on campus. 

They did everything together, they were even roommates. The joke was if you couldn’t find Merlin look for Arthur, they likely as not would be together or Arthur would at least know where to find him. 

They were the most unlikely of friendships. 

Merlin was a happy go lucky goofball, he was majoring in history and always entertaining others with his sense of wonder, his humor, and his magic tricks. 

Arthur was more serious and stoic, a natural born leader, majoring in business to please his father and captain of the football team. A man more of action than academia. 

Merlin loved Christmas, and Arthur distinctly did not. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~

The winter semester was coming to close and finals were coming up. Gwaine had been making noise about a Christmas party after the 2nd day of finals to help everyone wind down and to celebrate with everyone before they all went home for the winter break. Arthur didn’t much care for Christmas, but a party was a party and if all their friends were going, he would put in the effort as well. Besides it was very likely Merlin would not let him skip it. 

“Come on Arthur! Where’s your holiday spirit?!” Merlin shouted from the closet as he searched for an ugly sweater to wear to the party. 

“I told you Merlin I don’t have any.” Arthur answered from where he lay on his bed, arms behind his head watching with a raised eyebrow Merlin’s usual antics. Or rather watching Merlin’s delectable ass on display as he rifled through his closet. 

The truth was Arthur had been attracted to Merlin from the first, and that’s probably why he was so mean to him that first year, he couldn’t deal with the fact that for the first time since he realized he was bi he was faced with his ideal man. Arthur had only ever dated one guy in high school. The relationship had ended before it really ever got serious and Arthur’s father had almost had a coronary over it, after that Arthur had shied away from dating guys. But Merlin had been his perfect physical type; tall, skinny, dark hair, and unbearably charming and as he got to know Merlin he found Merlin was not only his perfect physical type, but a truly wonderful person. 

Needless to say Arthur was head over heels. 

He had been out on a few dates since he and Merlin became friends, but never anything serious, it was mostly to keep up appearances so Merlin wouldn’t catch on. He didn’t want to ruin their friendship with his unrequited love, he wanted to be by Merlin’s side always, even if it was just as his best friend. 

“Oh come on you sad sack!” Merlin retorted throwing a long sleeved shirt at Arthur over his shoulder. He glanced back his bright blue eyes twinkling. “I know Christmas with your dad is less than ideal, but this is Christmas with your friends, there will be lots of sweet treats and spiked eggnog, we’ll sing carols! I’ll even let you mock my sweater!” Merlin said pulling out a red and green monstrosity from the closet. 

Arthur smirked, “I’d do that anyway and probably your caroling too. And I hate eggnog.” Merlin looked as if he was about to go into a pout, which was a look Arthur couldn’t stand mostly because it made him want to bite Merlin’s lip and kiss it better. “Fine, I’ll go, but only because you need a minder.” 

Merlin straightened at that. “A minder? What do you mean?” 

“I mean Merlinnn.” Arthur drawled out as he stood from the bed. “That you can’t hold your drink.” Merlin looked offended, but before he could retort Arthur continued “Everyone knows it. It’s that super metabolism of yours. If anything I’ll get to leave early after you have one glass of Gwaine’s ‘special eggnog’ and pass out on the couch and I carry you back to the room.” 

Merlin frowned. “I will not!” He protested. “I didn’t last year!” 

“That’s because Lance and I were refilling your eggnog from the carton not from the punch bowl.” Arthur explained going to his own closet to find an outfit for the party. 

“WHAT?!” Merlin roared indignant. “How could you? I’m not a child!” 

“You could have fooled me with the tantrum you’re having right now.” 

Merlin was pouting again. “Is that really how you see me? Just as some child you need to take care of?” Something in Merlin’s voice told Arthur they’d gone past teasing and were moving into actual hurt feelings. 

“Not all the time.” Arthur retorted knowing instantly that was the wrong answer. Him and his big cocky arrogant mouth. 

“But some of the time?” Merlin pressed going from pouting to agitated quickly. 

“Look you’re not a baby you’re a lightweight though, and that’s why I’m going to….” 

“Oh please, don’t feel obligated to go just because you think I need a babysitter,” Merlin cut him off angrily as he started to blow around the room in a huff gathering things into his arms. “I got along just fine without your hovering Arthur and I’ll do fine without it tonight.” 

“Merlin, they’re my friends too, I can go if I want.” Arthur retorted his own temper rising in response to Merlin’s comments. It was true Arthur was a possessive person and it seemed that particular trait was driving Merlin away not closer as he hoped, but at the moment he was too angry to realize he was pushing him away. Merlin and Arthur’s old rivalry had been founded in some strong emotions and its true they were opposites so now even though they were friends tempers still clashed epically from time to time. 

“Ten minutes ago you wanted nothing to do with the party! And now because I don’t want you to go with me suddenly you’re all for it. Is it Christmas or just me that you can’t stand?” Merlin shouted back before snatching up his sweater and making a beeline for the door. 

“MERLIN!” Arthur called after him, “MER…I didn’t mean it like that!” But his retort was met with a door slam. 

Arthur huffed and ran a hand through his hair in agitation. He threw himself down on the bed and held his face in his hands. “Smooth Pendragon…. Real smooth.” He mumbled into his pillow as the full force of what he’d done came upon him. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t go to the party.’ He thought. He hadn’t wanted to go anyway and now if he went it might just aggravate Merlin more. Or inversely if he didn’t go Merlin would think he really did not want to be around him. He couldn’t allow that. He had to make it right.   
Apologize, somehow. 

He got dressed and headed out to Gwaine’s flat that he shared with Leon and Lance. It was the biggest any of their mutual friends had so it was the defacto party location. When he arrived it was still early and Gwen and Elena were there helping to set up with only a few of their other friends hanging out. As soon as he walked in he clocked Merlin helping Gwen at the snack table. Merlin caught sight of him immediately and only frowned before grabbing Gwen by the arm and dragging her into the kitchen. 

‘Probably to tell her what a bully I am.’ He thought. 

“Why hello Princess!” Gwaine greeted him in his usual manner with a slap on the back. “Didn’t think you’d make it, when Merlin arrived with Will and Gilly, we were sure he failed in his annual Yuletide mission!” 

Arthur shrugged, “I couldn’t focus anyway, I’ve gotten used to all the racket Merlin makes when I study.” 

Gwaine just laughed and offered him a beer, which Arthur readily took. By now their friends definitely knew they were fighting, but for once were being quite mum about it. Usually they would cajole one or the other of them to make up and they would, but this time no one said a thing, and that concerned Arthur more than anything. 

After 45 minutes of mingling and sipping his beer, Arthur once again sought out Merlin, Merlin had only moved slightly from the kitchen since Arthur arrived staying always on the opposite side of the room from Arthur, he seemed his usual cheerful self, chatting with everyone taking compliments and ribs on his sweater, but whenever his eyes met Arthur’s he would frown and quickly turn away. 

This went on for another half hour, when Arthur noticed Merlin had once again disappeared to the kitchen, but he could still here his laughter. He followed the sound and found Merlin leaning against the counter with Gwen and Elena laughing as he downed a glass of the infamous egg nog, that in Arthur’s view was at fault for this whole mess. 

When he walked in they all looked up, Gwen greeting him warmly. “Hey Arthur! Glad you could make it.” 

Arthur responded in kind but kept his eyes on Merlin, one he and Gwen had completed the pleasantries Merlin spat out, “What do you want?” 

He held up his empty beer bottle in answer. “I’ve come for another beer.” 

“Oh…” Merlin answered sourly looking away and taking another sip of egg nog. Arthur could see his cheeks were already starting to redden. 

“How do you like the egg nog Merlin?” Elena asked innocently. 

“It’s great!” Merlin answered. “Even better than last year’s” He added with a glare at Arthur’s back from where he was bent into the fridge. “In fact I think I’ll have another.” He taunted refilling his cup. 

As Arthur popped the cap off his beer he knew this was not going to end well. Merlin had something to prove and if there was one thing the brunette had in spades it was stubbornness. 

‘I just hope that stubbornness doesn’t end in alcohol poisoning.’ He thought followed by, ‘God damnit Pendragon just apologize and you can stop this whole silly thing.’ 

“Merlin, can I…” Before he could finish Will breezed into the kitchen like he always did, like a hurricane. “Come on Merlin we’re going to try some of the fruitcake my mom sent! It absolutely reeks of brandy I bets its 180 proof!” Will threw his arm around Merlin’s shoulder and marched him from the kitchen, Merlin laughing cheerily along.

Arthur clenched his beer bottle. “Arthur are you alright?” Gwen asked “You’re a bit red in the face.” 

Will always made Arthur see red. Arthur was possessive he already admitted that to himself and Will was the one person who was closer to Merlin than him. They had been friends since forever and he was the one Merlin ran too whenever he and Arthur fought. Maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad if it was Lance or Gwaine or Leon, but to see Will and Merlin so chummy still caused Arthur’s gut to tighten and his eyes to turn green with jealousy. 

“Fine Gwen. I just need some air.” He then took a second beer from the fridge and went to the balcony where he downed one and half of the second, before sitting in the cold air staring out at the sky wondering what in all the heavens was wrong with him. 

He allowed his mind to wander, thinking of Merlin and his feelings for him, his father, his half sister, his mother and how she, or rather her absence was the real reason Arthur disliked Christmas. 

She died when he was small and his father had never really recovered. As such he was often cold and distant and Christmas reminded him too much of her, so Christmas had gone almost unnoted when he was little until his step mother and later Morgana came into their lives. His stepmother tried to make Christmas nice for him and at first he hadn’t minded, but the adjustment was hard for Uther and Arthur being so young picked up on it and so started to outwardly mirror the feelings of his sire towards the holiday. 

Later after his father and stepmother’s divorce Christmas was one of the few times of the year Arthur got to see Morgana, she was his whole world when he was a kid, his only playmate, best friend, and little sister and he missed her after she didn’t live with them anymore, so those memories of Christmas were good because she and him were basically allowed free reign of the house to get into whatever mischief they could, and though the holiday was far from a traditional cozy Christmas like most people had it was still theirs. 

But then in Arthur’s last year of high school, Morgana had a huge argument with their father and stopped coming around every other weekend or for holidays. Uther and her mother tried to force the issue a few times, but it only caused her rebel harder she was after all a newly minted teenager and it was her prerogative. 

Arthur understood, he wished he had somewhere to be other than with his father most of the time and although Morgana called on Christmas and apologized to him for leaving him alone with their “brute” of a father, Christmas was back to being the same old disappointment it always was, and he stopped trying. 

Merlin made him want to try again, made him want to celebrate, brought him joy like nothing ever had. ‘Why am I being stubborn about this?” He asked himself a chill overtook him he’d been standing their thinking for so long. ‘Because I’m scared.’ He thought to himself. 

Then a muffled sound started to permeate the night and he looked back through the sliding glass door of the balcony to see Merlin and Gwaine drunkenly bellowing Christmas carols. He couldn’t help, but smile at their exuberance even if they were horribly off key, and not even using the right words. 

After singing “Don we now our gay apparel” Merlin burst into a fit of giggles motioning to his sweater no doubt trying to make some sort of juvenile joke to Gwaine, though his words were slurring and Gwaine was too busy belting out the chorus to notice. Arthur shook his head. Leon was standing nearby and he leaned over to him and asked, “How strong was that fruitcake?” 

Leon held up a plate with an uneaten slice, Arthur didn’t have to try to smell the brandy, it was as strong as Will had claimed. 

“Heyyyyy everybody! Les go carolllliiingring!” Merlin shouted raising his glass in the air. 

“That might be best, before we get a noise citation.” Leon commented off hand. Merlin did not wait for a reply from anyone as he struggled into his coat and grabbed his scarf. 

Arthur sighed, “I’d better go help him before he strangles himself.” 

While still entangled in the scarf Merlin had already opened the door and stumbled out into the hall. Arthur hurried to follow. “If we don’t make it back, Happy Christmas you guys!” He called back following his best friend as he stumbled down the stairs humming loudly. 

Once he reached the front door he looked back to see who was following and when he saw Arthur his face soured. “Arthuur…what are you doin here?” 

“I’m going caroling with you.” Arthur answered simply trying to rearrange Merlin’s scarf for him as he got close. 

“No!” Merlin batted his hands away and stumbled back, “No you’re not! You’re tryin to ruin all my fun again.” 

“No Merlin I really want to sing with you. See? Here we come a wassailing!” He looped his arm through Merlin’s and tried to steer him as he sang. 

Merlin sang along drunkenly for a few moments before he remembered they were fighting. “No! You’re trying to trick me! Well I’m nobody’s fool.” Merlin said wrenching away and stumbling again. Only this time he stumbled and spun and stumbled again before landing in a heap on the side walk. 

“Merlin! Are you alright?” 

“Why do you care?!” Merlin snapped back as he sat on the ground pouting. Arthur sighed. 

“Look Merlin, I’ve been trying to tell you all night I’m sorry. I’m sorry for treating you like a baby, and acting like I don’t care about you or Christmas. I know you were just trying to help and I really do appreciate it.” He paused waiting/hoping Merlin would look at him and when he did he continued, “I really do appreciate you. You’re the only person who really gets me and gets to me and if I seem like I’m treating you like a baby sometimes I don’t mean too, I just want to take care of you, same as you do me?” 

Merlin leaned back and focused on Arthur before struggling to his feet holding out a hand for Arthur to help him. 

When Arthur pulled him up Merlin looked into his eyes not letting go. “I don’t feel so good.” Arthur held in a laugh at the dead pan statement and steered Merlin still holding his arm yet making sure he faced away in case he needed to vomit. 

“Of course you feel sick you idiot you drank at least 3 glasses of eggnog that was so spiked it might as well have been paint thinner and god knows how much of that fruitcake you had.” 

“Too much. But I wanted…I wanted to show you…” 

“That you’re not a baby I know Merlin we’ve already discussed this.” 

“No! I wanted to show you that Christmas could be fun! You never get to have fun at Christmas and I wanted to make it fun for you! You deserve it, even if you are a prat.” 

Arthur stopped their slow walk and held Merlin steady to look at him, this brilliant thoughtful man, whom he loved so much. “Thank you Merlin.” He whispered. 

“Of course Arthur, I care about you too.” He slurred. “So much, more than I should.” He continued to ramble as they started walking again. Arthur wasn’t sure what he meant, but figured it was just drunken babble. Merlin started to sing again, “On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me! What will you give me Arthur?” 

“What?” Arthur came up short steadying Merlin from the sharp stop. Merlin’s cheeks were red both from the cold and from the alcohol as he looked up with his wide dilated eyes into Arthur’s with his brilliant trademark grin. “You’re my true love silly, and the song says my true love gave to me. What will you give me?” 

“You d…don’t mean that.” Arthur stuttered gripping Merlin’s shoulders for dear life not willing to believe that Merlin was cognizant of what he was saying. 

“I do!” Merlin protested. “You’re all I want for Christmas! You’re all I want all the time! I said I care for you Arthur and I mean it…I’m head over heels stupid in love for you, but you don’t know it.” He shook his head sadly. “You don’t know it.” He repeated in a whisper as if unaware any of this was real. 

Arthur gently took Merlin’s face between his hands and held it close to his own forcing their eyes to meet as he took a leap of faith his heart pounding. “Gods I wish I did Merlin. Because if you told me you loved me, then I could tell you I feel the same.” 

“You do?” Merlin was wide eyed now holding Arthur’s arms for balance. 

“I do, I told you before I care about you and as you so aptly put it, I care about you perhaps too much. I’m not me without you Merlin.” 

Merlin grinned again. “Then I hope I never wake up from this dream.” He leaned in for a kiss, but Arthur only allowed a small peck because he was drunk. As much as he wanted what Merlin was saying to be true, he wouldn’t take advantage of him in his current state. 

“It’s not a dream Merlin. I’ll prove it to you. Tonight I am going to sleep in your bed with you and when you wake up in the morning, if you remember any of this you’ll know my feelings are the same.” 

Merlin grinned mischievously at the mention of sharing a bed, “Dream Arthur and I do more than sleep when we share a bed.” And if that sentence didn’t have Arthur hard enough to drive nails in a second.

Hard as it was Arthur held firm. “Another night. When the eggnog and fruitcake have worn off. Then we’ll celebrate Christmas together however you want.” 

“Forever, and ever?” Arthur smiled softly pressing their foreheads together affectionately. “Yes” He whispered in reply. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They did go to sleep curled up together that night and the next morning Merlin was surprised to find Arthur in his bed with him, but when Arthur went to fetch him water and paracetamol for his headache he remembered what had happened the night before and when Arthur returned with the water Merlin invited him back to bed with the words, “Prove to me it’s not a dream.” 

Arthur grinned hearing confirmation of Merlin’s remembrance of the night before and quickly joined him back in bed for a morning kiss and cuddle, their first of many. 

And ever since then Arthur has loved Christmas because It had brought him and Merlin together, against all odds and he had eggnog and fruitcake to thank for it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for your patience! Hope you enjoy. This one took a while to write and 3 tries to load! More coming hopefully by Monday!


End file.
